my inlaws are coming (6 adults including us) and i want to give them an unforgettable dinner! but i cant think of what will go nicely with the choices ive made.
appetizer - lollipop chicken
main course
brown rice
lamb chops (Worcestershire and mint-cilantro sauce)
??? need one more dish!
(plus or minus) raspberry walnut salad with orange citrus dressing - hopefully can pull this off
Dessert - strawberry mousse in chocolate cups and fresh fruit
i need one more main course dish - something that looks gourmet - not comfort food salans but i do need something with gravy because the lamb chops will have a dryish gravy. Seafood is not really an option. i thought of chili chicken or chicken 65 but those are also dry. other ideas welcome!
how about feta stuffed chicken in cream & mushroom sauce?
serve this with potato gratin and you also have brown rice to go with this.
this will look gourmet and the cream and mushroom sauce will give it a thick consistency. not totally dryish type and not totally salan type.
^ Yup chicken parmesan could work too. Also if the guests like red meat you could do a beef bourguignon. It’s a stew so this could flow with your menu. Instead of using sherry or any alcohol use chicken/beef broth.
Thanks for the ideas guys! Inshallah all from scratch! I thought of chicken parm but i thought the tomatoes would be too sweet. I’m settling for chicken tikka masala because my mom keeps telling me i need something more desi!! sigh sometimes my mom just doesn’t get it.
Oh except im going to be using shan for the tikka masala and frozen samosas. dunno how to make that one.
plating - im going to put a small mound of rice, crisscross 3 chops into a teepee, then dribble the sauce around it. i;m wondering if I even need another dish like chicken tikka masala…what do you guys think?
I’m doing mini samosas and lollipop chicken
I’m doing the brown rice, chops, salad
And dessert i am gonna change to apricot puree and keep the fresh fruit
do you think i need one more?
I’m def gonna try to take pics and put them up
I feel you need a gravy item because dinner consists of two dry dishes (rice and chops). Also, unless the rice is a pulao or a biryani or a Chinese fried rice…it seems like more of an accompaniment than one of the main dishes. You’re placing the chops on the rice, correct? So, the rice is not like a stand-alone dish such as biryani or pulao…it seems more like a side…like how restaurants seve the accompaniment of white rice with chinese dishes…the brown rice doesn’t stand alone. And if that is the case…then I feel you need another dish to sort of round out the dinner, preferably a dish with a gravy or wet texture. Keep the salad.
For dessert…I am not a fan of fruit puree. You have not mentioned if there’s anything else going with the puree so I take it that it’s just puree. I think you should do something more complex for dessert because you said you want this to be special/memorable. If you want to do a fruit desert…you can make a trifle, or a pie, or a pudding, etc.
Malai boti! that’s a great idea! it sounds like it would go with the other flavors as well. i just don’t know how to make it…
Also the brown rice, is really like a pulao type without meat - onions, garlic, garam masala.
Also - i like the dessert cups idea too but i already made before when my then- fiance visited lol. Also I don’t have time now to make all that, those dessert cups took a while. the apricot puree is a hyderabadi dish called qubani ka meeta. We strain the apricots instead of just leaving them whole, making for a smoother texture. I’m adding a little orange zest as well. this will be in shallow bowls and whipped cream in the center. It’s supposed to go with custard but I think the whipped cream will be enough. unless I do cool whip - that might be tasty too.
THe salad dressing - i’m thinking orange juice, orange zest, honey and balsamic vinegrette mixed together.
So my stuff is all pretty eastern but just with a little updated feel. I thought i’ll do more of western/italian dinner some other time with chicken parm, pesto primavera etc.
Edit: i just saw what malai boti is - looks dry as well - no gravy. I thought it was like a light version of korma.
You can make malai boti and also make a gravy for it, but I do feel you need another dish as the main cuz right now you have only one main dish: the chops. The rice are more like a side if you’re cooking it without meat, garlic, onions and masala. In our culture khaali chawal are not a stand alone unless it’s biryani, pulao, khichri, or zarda. If it’s plain ruce…the kind you serve with daal…then it’s more like an accompaniment…leaving you with one main dish for dinner, so include another dish be it Desi or otherwise.
Yeah rice is def a side. maybe i’ll just stick with chicken tikka masala - should have a lot of gravy. the malai boti i saw online was dry/grilled. but if you guys have recipes, please share! thanks - loving the support here.
Snazzy, go with the chicken tikka masala. It will be a perfect addition to your meal with its rich and creamy gravy and vibrant color. I would suggest that you add a basket of naan. They can be the store bought variety. Warm em up and spread just a bit of butter on each naan, to give it a more fancy look. It will give your guests the option to enjoy the chops and chicken tikka masala with either rice or chawal. Options are good thing. Your salad sounds delicious, but I will add one more thing…a chutney. Now picture the meal: lamb chops on brown rice, chicken tikka madala, salad and chutney, and naan. Doesn’t it look more complete now?
if you are moving towards desi item then you can also keep chicken makhni handi. it will look special dawat dish. and you can serve this with garlic naans instead of regular naans or bread.
